


Unmasked

by hidekaneheadcanons



Series: A Hauntingly Hidekane Halloween [5]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Making Out, Protective!Hide, ghoul!Hide, human!Kaneki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 17:01:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21165059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidekaneheadcanons/pseuds/hidekaneheadcanons
Summary: “You’ve always protected me,” Kaneki whispered softly.Hide’s clown mask dangled limply from Kaneki’s fingertips.





	Unmasked

“You’ve always protected me,” Kaneki whispered softly. Hide’s clown mask dangled limply from Kaneki’s fingertips.

It was one of Hide’s greatest fears for Kaneki to know the truth about him – to know that mask belonged to him, and what it meant. Kaneki was no fool, and Hide should have known better, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. To him, Kaneki’s life was more important than his own would ever be.

“I have.” Hide wet his lips, taking a step into his small apartment and closing the door behind him.

A few days earlier, Kaneki met a ghoul named Rize. Except Kaneki didn’t know she was a ghoul, and only Hide did. Kaneki didn’t notice the hungry glances Rize sent his way. Or maybe he did, but interpreted them some other way. They agreed to go on a date, despite Hide’s softly-voiced warnings, leaving Hide to trail after them, hoping what he thought wasn’t true. If it was, Hide knew it would break Kaneki’s heart.

Unfortunately Hide was right, and Rize made her move in a deserted alley. Hide jumped down to protect his best friend, mask in place. By the time he was done fighting, Rize lying dead at his feet, his mask was no longer on his face. Instead, it lay on the ground near Kaneki, giving him a full view of Hide’s face, as well as his ghoulish eyes.

Kaneki started to sit up, injured no more beyond minor cuts and bruises, eyes locked on Hide. But Hide didn’t know what to do, so he ran. He just ran and ran, until he couldn’t any longer. A couple hours passed, and he returned home, mind blank as he dragged his feet.

He wasn’t expecting to open the door and find Kaneki sitting in his living room, expression pensive as he stared at Hide’s blood-soaked mask. He looked up when Hide entered, then looked down again. That was when he spoke. Indeed, Hide always protected him. If he could, he always would.

“Why?” Kaneki asked. “Why protect me?”

“Because I love you.” Hide squeezed his eyes shut painfully. He already exposed his biggest secret to Kaneki that night, what was another one?

Hide initially chose to befriend Kaneki because he was quiet and lonely. If he noticed anything strange about Hide, he would be more unlikely to tell anyone. Plus, Hide didn’t really mind his company. Over the years, Hide truly began to feel like they were friends, and even began to toy with the idea of telling Kaneki about himself – and what he actually was.

He was never able to. Hide was too scared to lose him. He wasn’t sure when their relationship became so important to him – that losing Kaneki would be akin to never breathing again. He couldn’t risk it, so he kept his mouth shut.

But now – now that was all out in the open, and for whatever reason, Kaneki wasn’t running. Hide didn’t know what to say. How to react. What to do.

Kaneki stood and slowly walked towards him. He put Hide’s mask down on the table, then took Hide’s hand in his. “You love me?” His voice was so hopeful that Hide’s wanted to cry with relief.

“I love you,” Hide repeated, his throat aching with his unshed tears. “I have for a long time.”

Kaneki regarded him gently, then cupped Hide’s cheek. His thumb traced under Hide’s eye. “Can you show me? Please? Trust me.”

Everything in Hide rebelled against such a request. But he couldn’t deny Kaneki, not when he looked so full of longing. Hide closed his eyes and allowed them to shift. He slowly opened them, allowing Kaneki to view his kakugan.

There was a soft intake of breath, and wonder in Kaneki’s eyes. He traced Hide’s cheek again. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful. You still are.” He leaned forward, almost making Hide’s heart stop.

Hide met him halfway, gripping at his arms and pulling him closer. It was something Hide wanted to do for the longest time, but never thought he would be able to do. Kaneki tasted sweet, and a little like the coffee Hide kept in his cupboard. Hide licked Kaneki’s bottom lip, wanting to taste more of him.

Hide only realized he was pushing Kaneki backward when he hit the wall and he gasped softly. He pulled back to apologize, but Kaneki grabbed him by the hair and pulled him against him again. Kaneki moaned – and _god _– Hide felt a shiver run down all the way to his toes. What wouldn’t he do to hear more of those noises come from his mouth?

Kaneki eventually broke away to breath, chest rapidly rising and falling against Hide’s. Meanwhile, Hide moved to Kaneki’s neck, intent to leave a few marks. Kaneki’s skin blossomed with colour under his lips and teeth, Kaneki’s breath hitching each time he sucked or nibbled in a particularly sensitive spot. Hide was looking forward to discovering every spot that made him moan for him.

Hide pulled back, pleased with Kaneki’s bruised neck. He ran his fingers over the skin, Kaneki shivering with pleasure. His pupils were dilated, lips red and slightly swollen, and looking like he wanted Hide to ravish him.

But – no. Not tonight. Hide brushed his lips gently over Kaneki’s, hearing his noise of protest as Hide backed away, no longer pressing him against the wall. Hide shut his eyes and willed his kakugan to disappear – which was quite difficult, given his excitement.

“We should talk,” Hide said.

Kaneki sagged against the wall, and dropped his head. “Yeah. We should.”

Hide offered him his hand, then pulled him towards the couch, where they both sat. Hide picked up his mask, turning it over and over again in his hands. Then he told Kaneki about his life as a young ghoul. About the worry of being discovered by someone and killed by the CCG. About how much his friendship meant to Hide. About how difficult it was to keep it a secret that he was a ghoul, and that he loved him. Kaneki listened the entire time, only prompting Hide to talk more when he paused, unsure how to continue.

Eventually, Hide found himself with his head in Kaneki’s lap, Kaneki’s fingers trailing gently through his hair. He stopped talking at some point, drifting in and out of sleep. Kaneki was humming a soft tune that seemed vaguely familiar.

“I love you,” Hide breathed. The words felt freeing.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> In case you haven't noticed with both this fic and the last one, I love hurt/comfort scenes where characters are self-conscious about their demonic/evil/monstrous characteristics. 
> 
> This was short and to the point, but I'm really liking ghoul!Hide. Maybe someday I'll do a longer fic for him.


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